Paris-based photography platform Meero announced today it has raised $230 million in a Series C round led by Eurazeo Growth and Prime Ventures.
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Avenir Growth, GR Capital, Global Founders Capital, Alven, Aglaé Ventures, White Star Capital and Idinvest Partners also participated in the financing.
The capital infusion comes just 11 months after the company’s $45 million Series B, which our own Savannah Dowling reported on at the time. This latest round brings the company’s total funding to $293.4 million since its inception three years ago, according to Crunchbase data.
The company claims the round marks France’s largest Series C to date. And our data backs that up. The next three largest rounds are a €125,000,000 (US$140M) Series C raised by Ÿnsect in February 2019; a €100,000,000 (US$112M) Series C raised by Devialet in November 2016 and a US$100 million Series C raised by BlaBlaCar in July 2014.
Looking ahead, Meero said it expects to have 1,200 employees across five offices by year’s end. Earlier this year, the company launched offices in Tokyo, Japan; Sydney, Australia and Bangalore, India.
Meero’s mission is to provide its customers with enhanced photography services so they can focus on the creative side of taking pictures. Specifically, one aspect of its offerings can be found in its AI-driven photograph enhancement software, which is designed to cut down on the time that photographers spend on editing and image enhancement. By a lot. For example, it works with brands such as Airbnb, Houzz and DoorDash to reduce post-production work from up to four hours to just “a few seconds.” Its software can process regular photos, 360-degree panorama photos, and videos. It also gives brands a convenient way to hire professional photographers.
Meero also, per itself, takes care of the more tedious aspects of being a photographer such as providing market research and invoicing. It also aims to provide its customers “with tools for file compatibility, CRM, marketing, and other daily needs.”
The startup plans to use the new funds in part to expand its “tech” team from 80 to 300 employees by the end of 2020 and to attempt to “perfect its automatic photo editing and content enrichment technology.” It’s also planning to expand its photography services beyond professionals to individual clients as well. The company also plans to develop its services overall.
Meero has more than 31,000 customers in more than 100 countries. The company currently operates in five verticals including real estate, food, lifestyle, e-commerce, and retail.
Illustration: Li-Anne Dias
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